Blakes 7: "Deliverance" and "Orac"
Well, now, that's rather an interesting end to the first series.
"Deliverance"
Hmmm. Unexpected priestess in slinky dress and veil is...unexpected. Heh.
I like the plotting that's going on in the background here--we know more about it, because we get to see Ensor and Maryatt talking, and Servalan telling Travis her Plan. (Hi, Travis! Lovely to see you again--and intriguing to see that you can feel gratitude or indebtedness as much as vengeful obsession; your anger at Servalan's sacrifice of Maryatt was quite touching. And Servalan is looking quite beautiful in this episode.)
The radiation on the planet was downplayed as peril, a choice I found interesting, especially considering the next episode. I'm used to people freaking out about X-Rays in our day and age--especially guys. *g* Now my brain is wondering whether any of the landing party will be able to have non-mutant children. (Yes, this is where my brain goes.)
Poor Jenna, the damsel in distress again. Doing good with the escape attempts, though.
The sheer level of coincidence that put the escape capsules (and thus the landing party) in the same square mile as the rocket launch facility and the waiting Meegat strains credibility. One is tempted to wonder if the prophecy has some merit. *headscratch*
"Lord Avon." *immoderate giggling* Oh dear. I admit that my reactions were pretty much covered by the ribbing Vila and Gan were giving him. I did like that he not only takes on the role (that could be purely selfish in some ways, not least that Meegat is very pretty and very submissive), but he seems to take it seriously once he satisfies his curiosity about what's going on. He makes sure to rescue Jenna, but then it's time to fulfill the prophecy and send that genetic bank out on its long-ago journey. (Which has a potentially good conclusion, unlike most of this show. Is that optimism, show?)
Well, and there's the moment when she expresses gratitude that he came, that it was worth the wait, and Avon responds, "That seems like a poor reward, somehow."
I'm going to assume it's quite warm in Meegat's bunker, or there's no way she'd be wearing that outfit on a world that requires the surface team to wear all their cold-weather gear.
Question: did Meegat say that there were about 100 of her people left? We never saw any of them, and I was very unclear as to where they lived and how, and whether Meegat was the only current guardian of the facility. The only one in waiting.
The whole Ensor-takes-Liberator-hostage thing was fine, I guess. I wasn't too worried, but it was interesting to see them try to figure out what to do next. And of course Blake is focused on his people first (or would that be "on Jenna first"? I'm only joking a little).
Favorite moment: when Blake asks Avon how it felt, being a god, and Avon snaps back, "Don't you know?" and Blake admits that he doesn't like the responsibility, either. The look on Avon's face, like he gets it and doesn't know quite what to do with it, what to do with having this in common with Blake.... Interesting.
"Orac"
There's the radiation coming back into play! I don't think much of the specific symptoms/progression, but probably few viewers have been researching radiation sickness for fic in another fandom. *g*
I guess the existence of decontamination drugs (really effective ones) might explain the chill attitude towards radiation exposure in the last episode.
Vila: Die? I can't do that!
Avon: I'm afraid you can. It's the one talent we all share, even you.
That's....actually really sad. True, but...gah, it's bother Avon as much as it's bother Vila, I think.
I am glad Gan is still with us. I've no idea how long that will be, since I was told (hinted?) that he was a first-series character. Clearly that's not the precise limit of his stint on the show. \o/
I'm amused at the "team" of Travis and Servalan, going through the tunnels, Travis much more in his element and Servalan being prickly because he's seen her scared to death. Heh. (Though speaking as we did last post about Cally's inappropriate mission outfits, I must add Servalan to the list. The white, the shoes...the lack of weaponry....)
Avon already knowing everything there is to know about Ensor when Blake is all excited at what he's found out--I have the feeling that this isn't stuff Avon just looked up, but stuff he's known for a while, being a computer person.
Very amused by the crew sticking together, hanging out in the teleport room because they can't stand to be alone/out of the action. Except for Vila.
I like Ensor Sr. He's a fun old guy, taking care of his plants and his fish and Orac, and I'm very sorry he died.
What on earth did Blake think he was doing, trying to pull down the ceiling of the tunnel by hand? Idiot.
Orac's going to be fun, isn't it? I like Avon matching wits with it (made me remember that Blake--or was it Cally?--suggested bringing back Orac's little security bot self for Avon to make a pet of). And Vila's, "What's wrong with being dishonest?" was quite amusing.
Oh noez, the Liberator is going to explode at some point!
...I think Orac is having them on. Or it's so far in the future he may as well be. We shall see.
"Deliverance"
Hmmm. Unexpected priestess in slinky dress and veil is...unexpected. Heh.
I like the plotting that's going on in the background here--we know more about it, because we get to see Ensor and Maryatt talking, and Servalan telling Travis her Plan. (Hi, Travis! Lovely to see you again--and intriguing to see that you can feel gratitude or indebtedness as much as vengeful obsession; your anger at Servalan's sacrifice of Maryatt was quite touching. And Servalan is looking quite beautiful in this episode.)
The radiation on the planet was downplayed as peril, a choice I found interesting, especially considering the next episode. I'm used to people freaking out about X-Rays in our day and age--especially guys. *g* Now my brain is wondering whether any of the landing party will be able to have non-mutant children. (Yes, this is where my brain goes.)
Poor Jenna, the damsel in distress again. Doing good with the escape attempts, though.
The sheer level of coincidence that put the escape capsules (and thus the landing party) in the same square mile as the rocket launch facility and the waiting Meegat strains credibility. One is tempted to wonder if the prophecy has some merit. *headscratch*
"Lord Avon." *immoderate giggling* Oh dear. I admit that my reactions were pretty much covered by the ribbing Vila and Gan were giving him. I did like that he not only takes on the role (that could be purely selfish in some ways, not least that Meegat is very pretty and very submissive), but he seems to take it seriously once he satisfies his curiosity about what's going on. He makes sure to rescue Jenna, but then it's time to fulfill the prophecy and send that genetic bank out on its long-ago journey. (Which has a potentially good conclusion, unlike most of this show. Is that optimism, show?)
Well, and there's the moment when she expresses gratitude that he came, that it was worth the wait, and Avon responds, "That seems like a poor reward, somehow."
I'm going to assume it's quite warm in Meegat's bunker, or there's no way she'd be wearing that outfit on a world that requires the surface team to wear all their cold-weather gear.
Question: did Meegat say that there were about 100 of her people left? We never saw any of them, and I was very unclear as to where they lived and how, and whether Meegat was the only current guardian of the facility. The only one in waiting.
The whole Ensor-takes-Liberator-hostage thing was fine, I guess. I wasn't too worried, but it was interesting to see them try to figure out what to do next. And of course Blake is focused on his people first (or would that be "on Jenna first"? I'm only joking a little).
Favorite moment: when Blake asks Avon how it felt, being a god, and Avon snaps back, "Don't you know?" and Blake admits that he doesn't like the responsibility, either. The look on Avon's face, like he gets it and doesn't know quite what to do with it, what to do with having this in common with Blake.... Interesting.
"Orac"
There's the radiation coming back into play! I don't think much of the specific symptoms/progression, but probably few viewers have been researching radiation sickness for fic in another fandom. *g*
I guess the existence of decontamination drugs (really effective ones) might explain the chill attitude towards radiation exposure in the last episode.
Vila: Die? I can't do that!
Avon: I'm afraid you can. It's the one talent we all share, even you.
That's....actually really sad. True, but...gah, it's bother Avon as much as it's bother Vila, I think.
I am glad Gan is still with us. I've no idea how long that will be, since I was told (hinted?) that he was a first-series character. Clearly that's not the precise limit of his stint on the show. \o/
I'm amused at the "team" of Travis and Servalan, going through the tunnels, Travis much more in his element and Servalan being prickly because he's seen her scared to death. Heh. (Though speaking as we did last post about Cally's inappropriate mission outfits, I must add Servalan to the list. The white, the shoes...the lack of weaponry....)
Avon already knowing everything there is to know about Ensor when Blake is all excited at what he's found out--I have the feeling that this isn't stuff Avon just looked up, but stuff he's known for a while, being a computer person.
Very amused by the crew sticking together, hanging out in the teleport room because they can't stand to be alone/out of the action. Except for Vila.
I like Ensor Sr. He's a fun old guy, taking care of his plants and his fish and Orac, and I'm very sorry he died.
What on earth did Blake think he was doing, trying to pull down the ceiling of the tunnel by hand? Idiot.
Orac's going to be fun, isn't it? I like Avon matching wits with it (made me remember that Blake--or was it Cally?--suggested bringing back Orac's little security bot self for Avon to make a pet of). And Vila's, "What's wrong with being dishonest?" was quite amusing.
Oh noez, the Liberator is going to explode at some point!
...I think Orac is having them on. Or it's so far in the future he may as well be. We shall see.